Florence Sylvester

Florence's Story

GORHAM - Florence (Bussell) Sylvester passed away Aug. 3, 2014, at the age of 91 at her home in Gorham, Maine where she lived for the past 8 years. She was born Feb. 27, 1923 in Wellington, Maine. She was the 1 of 7 children born to Roy and Lena (Carle) Bussell.

Her parents, two brothers, Lawrence and Clarence (Florence's twin) and three sisters, Marian Mitchell, Arlene Washburn and Rowena Bussell preceded her in death. She graduated from Solon High School, attended Husson Business College and worked at Merrill Trust Bank in Bangor. Mrs. Sylvester married her high school sweetheart, Maurice, in 1946 and lived in Bangor while he completed his aeronautical engineering degree at the University of Maine. Following his graduation, they lived in Virginia and Maryland where Mr. Sylvester worked for NASA and the US Army and she worked for the Hartford Co (MD) Board of Education. In 1975, they both retired and returned to Maine where they spent the next 30 years working on their farmhouse and turning a 100 year old building into a lovely modern home. Because of health reasons, they moved to the Gorham House in Gorham, Maine in 2006. Mr. Sylvester passed away in 2012.

Mrs. Sylvester is survived by her four children; Sharon Thompson and her husband, Joe of Nashville, TN, June Barden of No. Windham, ME, Glenn Sylvester and his wife Pat of Gray, ME and Gary Sylvester and his wife Diane of Martinsburg, WV. She also leaves behind a grandson, James Thompson and his wife Carol of Miami, FL, a great-granddaughter Abigail Thompson of Miami, FL, a sister Natalie Litchfield of Northridge, CA as well as numerous nieces and nephews throughout the area. She will be long remembered for her love for her family and her devotion to her friends.

A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Thursday August 7 at Sylvester Cemetery in Durham. Per the family's request, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Solon Historical Society, 28 So. Main St., Solon, ME 04979. , Arrangements are under the care of Crosman Funeral Home, Cremation and Monument Services, 40 Main St., Lisbon Falls, 353-4951. You are invited to share your thoughts, condolences and fond memories of Florence through her guestbook at www.crosmanfuneralhome.com